Homeowners often desire ornamental displays be placed in their yards. The displays can be birdbaths, fountains, waterfalls, fireplaces, etc. Sometimes elements of the displays are combined. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,312 to Zolow (hereinafter “Zolow”), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a fireplace structure with a water fountain in the front part of a fire box. While Zolow provides an ornamental display that includes fire and water features, Zolow isolates the water feature from the fire feature. Zolow arranges the water feature and the flame/gas flow in two distinct locations and uses different supplies and instrumentation to control the separate features.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,793 to Rumens et al. (hereinafter “Rumens”), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an ornamental display that includes an interaction between water and fire. However, Rumens describes isolates the fire and water effects using devices, such as, water shields.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,042 to Doyle (hereinafter “Doyle”), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a water and fire display apparatus characterized by a burning fuel/air mixture entrained in a stream of water. Doyle describes self-entraining nozzles disposed in a pool that spray a stream of water. The self-entraining nozzles also include a gas injection line, in the base of a Venturi, that entrains gas, air, and water in a single stream of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,826 to Robinson et al. (hereinafter “Robinson”), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a colored flame system for illuminating water fountains. Robinson describes a system whereby the color of flames incorporated into a water display may be altered through the addition of concentrated solutions of metallic salts.
These decorative displays fail to provide a water and fire display, which provides for interaction between a still water body and source gas(es) to be combusted into flame(s). Certainly, the current displays fail to describe appropriate safety control features which decreases the risk of injury to users, bystanders, observers, etc., as well as minimize the amount of maintenance and attention the decorative display.